PLANNING FOR AIRPORT NOISETHE ROAR OF DISCONTENT

Luke Jensen16.781 Airport SystemsNovember 12, 2013

Outline• Aircraft Noise Metrics• Planning and Reporting Requirements• Case Study 1: Logan Runway 14/32• Case Study 2: Greener Skies over Seattle

Noise Metrics

Noise is any unwanted sound

• Perceived loudness is ultimate concern• “A-weighted” dB

• Equivalent Noise Level• DNL, CNEL

• Other metrics• Max Level• Time-Above

Graphic: Harris, Miller, Miller, & Hansen

Converting “Noise” to “Annoyance”• Complicated problem• Highly subjective• Compounding factors• Pitch• Loudness• Sharpness• Tonality• Duration• Time of day

• Regression appropriate?

Mandatory Reporting Requirements

• National Environment Policy Act (NEPA, 1969)• FAA Airport Environment

Program• Order 1050.1E• Environmental Impact Statement• Environmental Assessment• Mandatory for all expansion

projects

Optional Reporting

• FAA Airport Environment Program• Part 150: Noise Compatibility

Planning• Required for federal NCP funding• Optional, but lucrative

• Part 161: Noise-related Access Restrictions

Case Study #1: Logan Airport Runway 14/32• Opened in 2006 • 34-year development timeline

(mostly politics)• Clear-cut symbolism of new

pavementGraphic: HNTB

Graphic: Boston Sunday Globe

Graphic: Michael Philip Manheim/NARA

Historical Context

All Images: Michael Philip Manheim/NARA

Justification for Airside Improvement Plan

Noise Analysis

Process:1. Detailed forecast2. Integrated Noise

Model study to obtain contours

3. Visualization + Census Synthesis

Case Study #2: Greener Skies over Seattle

• New “Required Navigation Performance” Approaches

• Tailored flight paths

• Reduce emissions, flight time

• Concentrated flight paths

• New frontier of NextGen

• Public relations challenge: is this good or bad for communities?

Graphic: FAA

New Analysis Methods: CatEx?

Conclusions• Movement toward multi-stakeholder collaborative

decision making shows strong promise• Political factors most important factor of environmental review

timeline• Noise metrics currently taken as “given”, should likely be

revisited given modern noise research• NextGen implementation timeline constrained by

environmental review process• Further investigation of Categorical Exception to FAA Order

1050.1E needed

Thank You!

Questions?